Fiat 500e

All the talk of electric cars here recently had me looking into a used 'e. I see them from 8 to 12grand for lightly used 2 year old models.

I know the 85mile range is not for everyone, but that is three days of my commute, but with a more usable package than the three wheelers that are about to come out. I may not have passengers often on the way to work, but I do bring a couple of bags with me (tools, computer, extra clothes) and the idea of a lockable and "safe" area with more than enough storage intrigues me.

What says the hive?

My coworker almost bought one...Then he made the mistake of test driving an i3. By his account, even though it has a few minor quirks, the 500e definitely sounds to be the most 'enthusiast' appealing of the sub-$10k used EV's.

I really like the idea of the 500e but they're not sold in my state. For comparison shopping, note that the 500 is so much smaller than a Leaf and you can find Leafs all day long for the same money.

I'd love to hear your driving impressions of you test one.

I've been mulling a used EV for some time. I've test-driven the 500e. It does feel like the best driving EV of those I've driven so far. My issue with the 500e is the same as all FCA products - I simply don't trust them in terms of longevity.

My other concern mimics that of nderwater - while I can buy a used 500e in Nevada, they aren't/weren't sold here new, so I'm not sure if dealer techs have any training.

My current (ha!) EV thinking is to wait a couple months. The '18 Leaf is coming this Fall, with a 200 mile range. I think that's going to tank the values of 1st-gen Leafs. I don't think the Leaf is the best EV, but it's the one that I trust the most.

I've looked into the 500e here in MD, as they are available (though not officially). Prices are good and they do tend to be fun to drive. But for my money, off lease Spark EVs are the most bang for your buck small EVs out there. nearly 400 lb ft of torque (rated at 400 lb ft for the first year, the rating was dropped last year) and just massive fun (quicker than all but the Teslas to 60). Volt technology in the battery pack so they should be good for decades to come with little degredation (a problem for the older Leafs). If you only need 30-50 miles of range per day, why carry enough battery to do 200 miles?

They are appealing for a lot of reasons, but remember how much trouble JG had getting a replacement windshield for his Promaster (a vehicle sold nationwide)? Sergio has been very vocal about how much he despises the 500e and wants them all gone, I would tread lightly if you live somewhere they were never sold new.

Cheap used Italian electric cars? What could go wrong?

Run away screaming. An acquaintance of mine who works for BMW got one of those sweet 89 dollar a month lease deals on one. It would get rollback'ed away weeks at a time for him to have it for a matter of weeks and be gone again. I saw that car like twice when it wasn't broken

Good luck finding anyone to touch it. My local Atlanta dealer has zero ability to work on one, and told my friend in the local EV club they had no plans on learning how. You'd be better off with a MiEV, and that's not saying much.

apparently that is the issue. While I have a fiat dealer not 2 miles away, I doubt they even know how to diagnose an issue with the 'e. It's a shame, I would love to have another fiat, but I would prefer it to be an electric commuter